Writers and poets in the far western mountain area of North Carolina and bordering counties of South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee post announcements, original work and articles on the craft of writing.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Lawrence Thackston, author of the locally set, The Devil’s Courthouse, will visit City Lights Bookstore to present his new mystery, Tidal Pools on Friday, June 6th at 6:30 p.m.

Making the most of incredible plot twists, dark settings, and the use of ancient religious rituals, Tidal Pools will keep readers on the edge of their seats through the final pages. In the Galeegi Islands along the coast of South Carolina, the former prime suspect in a 40-year-old, controversial murder case is found dead of a questionable suicide. Tyler Miles, a newly recruited patrolman with the Galeegi Police Department, becomes an unlikely part of the investigation and is immediately swept up in a tidal wave of violence and deceit that threatens to impact the entire Lowcountry. Working side-by-side with Chloe Hart, a research biologist for the EPA, Tyler must find a connection between the suicide and the old murder, all the while facing a new rash of killings and an imminent, destructive threat to the islands and the surrounding marshlands. From behind the screen doors of the island's most impoverished hovels to the marble floors and crystal chandeliers of its finest plantation homes, Tyler will race to unravel the mystery behind the chilling case. And, in his search for justice, he will come face to face with an evil as old as hatred itself, cryptically finding his answers only in what the tide leaves behind.

Born and raised in the palmetto state, Lawrence Thackston is a writer of Southern tales of mystery, suspense, loss, and redemption. His first novel, The Devil's Courthouse, was well-received by critics and has generated a faithful following among his readers. To reserve your copies of his books please call City Lights Bookstore at 828-586-9499.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Maggie Bishop, North Carolina writer of mystery and romance novels, was a presenter at the Blue Ridge Writers Conference in Georgia on March 27-28. She has given permission for her top ten tips for things you should not do for book signings to be listed here. Maggie says she is available for teaching workshops.

Top Ten Don'tsfor Book Signings

10. Arrive late and show disrespect for the staff’s efforts. Show up without confirming the signing at least the day before. That way, if your signing has been overlooked, the staff has time to be prepared.

9. Limp handshake. Be proud of your writing and show it through a firm handshake.

8. Forget own supplies such as a pen, name tag and water. Demand free coffee or food as your reward for showing up.

7. Chatting on cell phone or talking with friend when a customer approaches. Don’t become that store clerk you complain about. Give the reader the respect they deserve.

6. Grab a customer by the arm and demand they "buy my book," put down other authors and books, use a guilt trip "I need the money to feed my kids," or steal another author’s customer when at a group signing. These are ways to make a reader avoid you and the store in the future.

5. Eat onions, garlic or tuna before a signing or chewing gum during a signing. You want customers to cry over your prose and not your breath.

4. Sit behind the table, do crossword puzzles or read, and ignore customers. Get over being shy and develop an outgoing persona for your moment before readers.

3. Wear revealing clothing, shorts, old shoes. Dress as you would for an interview–one level higher than the customer. You want to invite people into your space through your appearance.

2. Ignore or be rude to the help or, worse yet, blame the staff for low sales; if asked to sign stock, sign more than requested. The store needs to make money in order for you to get paid. The staff will chat about you after you leave so make sure they feel good about your visit.

1. Attitude that you are doing the store a favor, signing only because the publisher demands it, or that the reader is lucky that you appear in person. The reader is royalty, not you.